Wikipost instructions: signed in members with 90 days / 90 posts can edit this Wikipost to update; wiki contents may be printed by using the (lower right wiki corner)

US Airways Companion Certificate

Purchase a roundtrip ticket of $250 (before any taxes) or more with your US Airways Dividend Miles MasterCard and have up to two companions fly with you for $99 each (plus tax on the amount of the equivalent full-fare ticket).

The price of the full-fare ticket is determined by the lowest "bucket" for which two Y seats are available if you have one companion and for which three Y seats are available if you have two companions.

Routing:
Certificate valid for use when travel originates in the contiguous 48 United States for service to the contiguous 48 states or Canada. Not valid for travel to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Caribbean, Mexico, Central/South America, or Europe. Not valid on stopovers, open jaws, open returns, or circle trips.

Valid CarrierValid on flights operated by US Airways and US Airways Express. Not valid on codeshare flights operated by partner airlines such as United.Not valid for travel on American flights (please update if this changes).

Dividend Miles Accrual and Upgrades
Travel is eligible for Dividend Miles accrual, accrual in other airline programs not permitted. Dividend Miles Preferred upgrades are permitted subject to the rules of the upgrade being used. All Dividend Miles Terms and Conditions apply.

Additional guidelines for booking
1) You must call US Airways reservations; you cannot book this type of ticket on line.
2) The certificate must be used by YOU, you cannot have someone else and two companions use it.
3) You must book you and any companions at the same time as you on the same routing and PNR as you. One companion cannot break off and go a different direction for one segment.
4) You must use your US Airways Mastercard to make the purchase.
5) You must mail in the certificate after you make the purchase. The address is printed on the certificate (US Airways office in Winston-Salem, NC). (They insist that you retain proof of mailing within 24 hours of booking)
6) There should NOT be a telephone booking fee for this as you can't book this type of fare any other way.
7) It should be possible to split the PNR after booking (this may be beneficial for those hoping for an upgrade as a preferred member, or if the card holder can no longer travel on the days originally booked) YMMV.
8) Any changes to the tickets after booking are subject to the current change fees listed on the US Airways website.
9) Ticket must be booked at least 14 days in advance of travel. (Agents may try to tell you that it needs 15 days because the day of travel is not counted. Even supervisor will insist on it. Do not buy that. Hang up and redial. You need usual 14 days advance booking)
10) You can cancel within 24 hours of booking and you will retain the certificate if you have not mailed it. But they will not make any changes to reservations even within 24 hours due to the third sentance under the Change/Refunds section in the T&C.

I just tried to use my companion ticket for a fare that was $247 base + $38 tax/fees = $285 total. They would not issue the companion ticket without the minimum $250 base being hit. They did find another class on the flight that had a $292 base and I purchase it and qualified for the companion ticket. Total cost for companion ticket was $119, so it doesn't seem I was charged a $25 booking fee, just the taxes that totaled $20. No fee to book by phone either.

I want to use the $99 certificate for my gf. I'm US Silver. Will both of us still be eligible for complementary upgrades off my preferred status? (I'm assuming we'll both be travelling under the same reservation)

These days, it seems to me that USAirways could adopt the approach that Alaska Airlines uses for companion tickets. When your anniversary comes up, you get an online certificate. Which you can then use to search (and use) ONLINE. No phone calls, no mail the coupon in, no 'did I lose the coupon' hassle.

It seems to me that this would be very much a win-win for USAirways to implement.

I'll not even grouse here about the fact that you can't use the companion ticket for Hawaii (you can with Alaska Airlines). For me, this year I figure to make lemonade out of this -- use my USAirways companion ticket for a round trip to Portland to visit friends, use my Alaska Airlines companion ticket for round trip Portland to Kona. Heck, with Alaska Airlines, you can even use the companion ticket for a 1st class flight.

These days, it seems to me that USAirways could adopt the approach that Alaska Airlines uses for companion tickets. When your anniversary comes up, you get an online certificate. Which you can then use to search (and use) ONLINE. No phone calls, no mail the coupon in, no 'did I lose the coupon' hassle.

It seems to me that this would be very much a win-win for USAirways to implement.

I'll not even grouse here about the fact that you can't use the companion ticket for Hawaii (you can with Alaska Airlines). For me, this year I figure to make lemonade out of this -- use my USAirways companion ticket for a round trip to Portland to visit friends, use my Alaska Airlines companion ticket for round trip Portland to Kona. Heck, with Alaska Airlines, you can even use the companion ticket for a 1st class flight.

US companion tickets also have tons of blackout dates, advance purchase requirements, two-night stay minimum, 30-day stay max, and other restrictions. On the upside, you can take up to 2 companions instead of 1 on AS.

Upcharged to full fare? That sounds like BS to me. Anyways, doesnt one of the new DOT regs say airlines cant come back and charge you more after youve purchased a ticket?

You can always have US split the reservation after its purchased if travel schedules change.

Another question about this. What would be the reason to split the reservation? I want to book a reservation for Mrs. Kaaria and the two Kaaria kids, but the certificate is under my name. I have called once to get Mrs. Kaaria on instead of me and was told could not do it. If I am able to split the reservation, then I can cancel my name and purchase a ticket for Mrs. Kaaria. I read the t/c of the certificate and it indicates once used. It is deemed used even if I cancel? Or am I reading incorrectly?

Another question about this. What would be the reason to split the reservation? I want to book a reservation for Mrs. Kaaria and the two Kaaria kids, but the certificate is under my name. I have called once to get Mrs. Kaaria on instead of me and was told could not do it. If I am able to split the reservation, then I can cancel my name and purchase a ticket for Mrs. Kaaria. I read the t/c of the certificate and it indicates once used. It is deemed used even if I cancel? Or am I reading incorrectly?

So you buy a ticket for you + 2 kids. Then you split off the two kids, if you can because if they are under a certain age they can't be on a PNR alone. Let's say you can do that.

Then you have to pay a change fee to change your ticket to your wife's name, plus whatever has happened to the fare since you did the splitting.

Booked my first companion certificate a couple of weeks ago. A much better experience than I was expecting after reading some of the posts in this thread. The agent was very friendly and knowledgeable and she was able to book exactly what I found on ITA. She also specifically said that a phone booking fee would not be charged after I inquired about it.

My question is: does anybody have any experience in switching FF # to another airline's after making a companion certificate booking? The T&C says no, but I remember reading somewhere that people had experience switching the companion to another airline's FF #. What about the primary flyer (i.e. card holder)? I was able to do it on US Air's website after the booking, just not sure if it'll come back and bite me afterwards.